Case or container for cigarettes and like articles



Dec. 26, 1939. J, E, H MORGAN H M 2,184,803

CASE 0R CONTAINER FOR CIGARETTES AND LIKE ARTICLES Filed June 21, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS J.E H. MORGAN \/.J. F. DONNELLY 2 4 BY 1 z'gmuff ATTORNEYS Dec. 26, 1939. J. E. H. MORGAN ET AL 2,184,803

CASE 0R CONTAINER FOR CIGARETTES AND LIKE ARTICLES Filed June 21, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 \NVENTORS J. E.H. MORGA N \/.J. F. D ONNE LLY Patented Dec. 26, 1939 UNITED STATES CASE R CONTAINER FOR CIGARETTES AND LIKE ARTICLES John Edward Harris Morgan and Victor John Forsythe Donnelly, London, England Application June 21. 1937, Serial No. 149,516 In Great Britain December 8, 1936 6 Claims. I (Cl. 206-414) This invention relates to cases or containers,

for cigarettes and like articles furnished with a\.

chamber capable of containing a number of such articles which are to be extracted singly or one by one. I v

The chief object of the invention is to provide reliable, emcient and easily operated means;

- whereby a single article is automatically, partially extracted or protruded from the case, and presented in a position in which it can be gripped easily for complete removal. i

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby the operation of the necessary devices are controlled by a single hand operated device. Another object of the invention is to provide for the ignition of one end of the partially ex-;

tracted cigarettes when presented or protruded in an inclined position'by the extractor.

Other objects of the invention will be referred to in the detailed description which follows and pointed out in the appended claims.

According to the present invention, the case or container is provided with a carrier or extractor adapted or contrived to receive and hold a single cigarette or like article, which is hinged or pivotally mounted at one end or side of the case or of the compartment and on the movement or actuation of the singlehand operated controldevice is given-a swinging angular or rotary movement whereby a cigarette is partially extracted and one end' thereof raised or moved into a position to be gripped or removed either by the lips or by the fingers.

According to the invention also, the said hand operated control-device, may also control a stop or barrier to prevent the ejection of cigarettes from the case when the extractor is moved and may also control a gripper for the cigarette, on or in the extractor.

Further in accordance with the invention, when a cigarette has been partially removed by the extractor, the. lower end of the cigarette may be placed in close proximity to and lit before removed from the extractor by a lighter which may be arranged on or within the frame of the case or container. 1

The single hand-operated device which controls the extractor may also control the lighter in timed relation to the movement of the extractor.

By means of this invention a case or container is provided which may be held in one hand and the single controlling device operated by a finger of the same hand, to effect the ready presentation of a cigarette, for removal or for being lit and removed.

In accordance with the invention also the cigarettes or the like are pressed or fed towards the extractor or carrier by a feed device which may be released for action by the closing of a movable side or end of the case or container.

The extractor or carrier can be returned to initial or closed position by hand or by the action of a finger whilst the case is held in the hand and when a lighter is provided the lid or cover thereof is so arranged that the act of closing this cover for the lighter or returning the operative'part or parts thereof to initial position,

such act also returns the carrier or extractor to initial position. This setting or resetting act can also be performed whilst the case is held in a hand of the user by the operation of a finger of that hand.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a case embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the case shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, with the extractor closed.

Fig. 4 isa detail section showing'parts in a difierent position from that shown in Fig. 3.

Fig.5 is a side elevation of the same device, partly in section.

Fig. 6 is a sectional plan on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5, and

Fig. '7 is another sectional plan of the same case.

In the embodiment of the invention hereinafter described and as illustrated, a lighter is incorporated to be actuated in co-operation or combination with the cigaretteextracting devices.

The body of the case or container A may be formed of a single pressing. moulding or casting, of any suitable material with any desired finish, and may be shaped externally to facilitate holding in the hand. The body in this embodiment,

is divided internally into a compartment or maga-,

zine A for the cigarettes or the like and a compartment A for the lighter mechanism.

The carrier orextractor B is pivotally mounted or hinged at A to a fixed bracket A and a stop or the hinge A is so arranged that the extractor B can only open to a position such as indicated in Fi 1.

The extractor B is furnished with one or two side walls B and is open on its inner or under side to receive a cigarette from the chamber A The extractor B is normally held in its closed position (see Fi by a movable barrier catch 0' which engages a projection B on the extractor.

The gripper to receive or hold a single cigarette is mounted within or on the extractor, and, in this embodiment, comprises a plate or finger B hinged to the extractor and normally pressed, by a light spring B (see Figs. 1 and 5), towards one side wall B of the extractor which forms the other member of the gripper.

The hand operated control-device comprises a push button or the like C against one end of which an arm of a lever C pivoted at C bears under the action of a spring C When the push button C is pressed some distance inward a projection C on the lever C engages an arm or lever C integral with or fixed to a spindle C and partially rotates the spindle to move the barriercatch C fixed thereon out of engagement with the projection or the like 3* on the extractor B (see Fig. 5) and allow the latter to open under the influence of an actuating spring B When a'cigarette is wanted, the first movement of the control device operates so that the catch thereon releases a cooperating catch member on the gripper, allowing the movable member thereof to close on the cigarette before the said control member releases the cover or extractor in which the gripper is mounted.

When the barrier catch C has been moved as above described it will overlap or intercept the movement of the cigarette lying next to the one now engaged by the gripper on the extractor (see Fig. 3) and as the parts are so designed that this interception takes place before the catch releases the projection 13 on the extractor it will in conjunction with a fixed bridge piece A or part of the body prevent the egress of cigarettes from the case when the extractor has been raised which would otherwise take place under the action of a spring-controlled feed device D which constantly tends to press the cigarettes in the case towards the extractor.

When moved to its inner position, the barrier catch C will be locked automatically by a pivot ally mounted locking lever C (see Fig. 1) which acts upon a lug C on the barrier catch, under the action of a spring 0.

On the closing of the extractor B by hand, the projection B will push the arm or lever C out of engagement with the lug C and the barrier catch C will be moved outwards and into engagement with the projection B by the action of a coil spring C. This barrier catch inmoving outwards, will engage with the free end of the pivoted member B of the gripper on the extractor and push it into the position shown in Fig. 4, against the action of the spring B An unobstructed passage will thus be afforded for a cigarette to pass freely from the magazine A into the gripper or the extractor under the pressure of the feed device D.

The feed mechanism comprises a plate or bar I) to which is attached a slide D adapted to move freely on a fixed rail or guide D under the action of pivoted links D D which are actuated by two coil springs D D The slide D is provided with a lug D (see Fig. 6) which will, when necessary, make contact with the free end of a buffer spring D, the other end of which is fixed to the case body A. The magazine portion A of the case is provided with a lid or cover A which may be hinged to the case body A at A or elsewhere on the case body. This lid A is conveniently held closed by a catch A A flap E may also be mounted on the hinge A and a coil spring E causes it to open against the lid A when released. When the lid is opened to recharge the magazine A the feed mechanism D can be retracted by hand. A catch strip E furnished with two catches iii and E is slidably mounted on the case A by means of two fiatheaded fixed studs E which pass through holes in the catch-strip (see Fig. 7) to allow a limited horizontal and/or vertical movements of the respective ends of the catch strip E. A spring E mounted on the case A forces the catch strip E upwards and to the-left (see Fig. 7). The slide D is also provided with another lug D with which the catch E will engage automatically when the feed mechanism is pulled fully back by hand. In this latter position, the links D and D are closely folded together under the fed bar D. When the slide D is moved back, the lug D makes contact with the sloping edge of the catch E thus forcing the catch strip E horizontally to the right, thereby causing the catch E to disengage from the flap E and allow the latter to open, under the influence of the spring E The catch E then engages with the lug D thus holding the feed mechanism out of action, so that the magazine A may be easily loaded.

The closing of the lid A will cause the flap E, if the latter be incorporated, to close and a lug E to push down one end of the catch strip E thus disengaging the catch E from the lug D and thereby releasing the feed mechanism. When the lug D is disengaged from the catch E the catch strip E will slide further to the left by virtue of the spring E The catch E will then hold the flap E so that, should the lid A be thereafter opened, any cigarettes X contained in the magazine will be retained by the flap E and its fixed counterpart, a flange A which is embodied in the case A.

In the present embodiment of the invention a lighter F is employed and is arranged to be operated by the control-device or press button, in timed relation with the movement of the extractor. The lighter shown is conveniently of a known pyrophoric type and comprises as hitherto, a reservoir F fitted within the compartment A, a filling screw F a wick F and absorbent material F, a flint F is pressed by a spring F an adjusting screw F" and a serrated fiint wheel F. A lid F acted on by coil springs F can partially rotate about a pivot F and cause the flint wheel F on the same pivot to partially rotate in known manner. The lid F carries a spring-loaded extinguisher cap F which covers and seals the outer end of the wick F when the said lid is closed. The lid F is provided with a lug F which is adapted to engage with a catch C formed on the outer end of the spring-actuated crank lever C thereby holding the said lid closed.

When the press button or the like C is moved a short distance inward the lug F on the lighter lid F will be released and the flint-wheel F will be partially rotated to ignite the lighter.

A further movement or a continuance of the movement of the button C will operate the extractor in the manner already described. When the extractor B has been thus operated, the arrangement of the components is such that the flame F of the lighter is in suitable position for acting directly on the lower end of the cigarette X through an opening B in the end of the extractor B when the latter is open, as shown in Fig. 1.

When it is desired to operate the lighter F alone, without involving a movement of the extractor, the button C is or would be pushed only to such extent that it releases the catch C of the lighter, the lever C remaining free from the projection C by reason of the clearance provided between them.

It is also possible to extract cigarettes in suc cession without necessarily operating the lighter in each movement of the button .0 as once the button has been operated beyond the lighter control catch it can be operated repeatedly as its movements will control the extractor only.

In accordance with the present invention also the lid F of the lighter is so shaped and arranged that in closing it will come into engagement with a suitably shaped part of the rear or lower end of the extractor B if the latter be open, and will, in so doing, push the said extractor into the closed position as shown in Fig. 5.

A removable plate A is preferably provided to allow of access to the components of the control and operating devices co-operating with the push button C. I

The case or container above described is particularly intended for carrying in the pocket and provides an article which whilst being held in the hand, can be operated either to extract partially and light a cigarette, or to extract partially a cigarette, or to light a cigarette already extracted, by theoperation of a finger of the hand holding the case; further by another movement of the same finger, the extractor and lighter'may be closed. The operations above described may be performed when the case or container is supported on any convenient form of base or stand in place of being held in the hand.

What we claim is:

1. In a case for cigarettes and similar articles furnished with a chamber for holding a number of such articles the combination of an extractor, a pivot adjacent thesaid chamber on which the extractor can turn angularly, an expansible gripper on the extractor adapted to receive a single article, a single hand-operated device acting to secure and release the extractor, means actuated by the hand-controlled device for positively effecting the closing of the gripper in advance of the angular movement of the extractor, and a spring acting to raise the extractor and gripper to partially extract a cigarette from the chamber and present it for easy removal.

2. In a case for cigarettes and similar articles furnished with a chamber for a number of such articles, the combination or an extractor, a pivot adjacent the chamber on which the extractor can move angularly, an expansible gripper on the extractor, adapted to receive a single article, an

actuating spring for raising the extractor and gripper by an angular movement and partially extract a cigarette and present it in an inclined position for easy removal, a barrier for the body of cigarettes in the chamber, a single hand operated control device,- and separate means on; the said control device for effecting in succession the closing of the gripper on to a cigarette, the interposition of the barrier between the gripper and the topmost free cigarette-in the chamber and the release of the extractor pivotal .movement by its actuating spring.

3. In a case for cigarettes and similar articles furnished with a chamber for a number of such articles, the combination otan extractor, a pivot adjacent said chamber on which the extractor can move angularly, an expansible gripper for a single article-mounted on the extractor, a spring constantly tending to raise the extractor and the gripper by an angular movement to partially extract a cigarette and present it in an inclined position for easy removal, a barrier stop for the body of cigarettes in the chamber, a single handoperated control device, separate means on the hand-operated device for effecting in succession single cigarette on the extractor, a spring com stantly tending to raise the extractor and the gripper by an angular movement to partially extract a cigarette and present it in an inclined position for easy removal, a barrier stop for the body of cigarettes in the chamber, a single handoperated control device, separate means on the hand operated device for eflecting in succession the positive closing of the gripper, the interposing of the barrier between the gripper and the leading cigarette in the chamber and the release of the extractor, an elevating bar for the body of cigarettes in the chamber, spring-controlled arms acting on the elevating bar, a cover for the chamber, means for rendering the elevating bar temporarily inoperative, and means on the case cover for releasing thesaid last-mentioned means. a

5. In a case for cigarettes and similar articles having a chamber for a number of such articles, the combination of an extractor a pivot for the extractor at one side 01' the chamber, a retaining catch for the extractor, an expansible gripper for a single article on the extractor, a barrier within the chamber for the body of articles therein, an elevator forthe articles, spring controlled means for raising the elevator, a lighter mounted adjacent .,the extractor, a single hand-operated control-device, separate means actuated by the handoperated device to operate the lighter, positively close the gripper, interpose the barrier and release the extractor, and .a spring acting on the released extractor to raise and partially extract a cigarette and present it in an inclined position for removal and with one end in position to be ignited by the lighter.

trolled device, separate means actuated by the hand controlled device to actuate the lighter,

- positively close the gripper, interpose the barrier and means on the lid operative during the closing movement thereof to act upon and close the extractor.

JOHN EDWARD HARRIS MORGAN. vrc'roa JOHN masv'nm DONNELLY. 

